The present invention relates to an ignition system for a hydrogen generation process that is used to provide a source of hydrogen for a fuel cell. A micro component start module is provided. In general, the invention initiates a hydrogen generation fuel cell system with an instantaneous burst of energy derived from the combustion of a minor quantity of stored hydrogen. Once initiated, the integrated system produces hydrogen gas for powering a fuel cell for automotive and other scalable power requirements where a discrete or mobile source of hydrogen in a predetermined on demand quantity is desired.
Hydrogen fuel cells are non-polluting, highly efficient power sources. See, e.g., FUEL CELLS GREEN POWER, Los Alamos National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, 1999. [Accessible on the World Wide Web at the address: www.eren.doe.gov/RE/hydrogen_fuel_cells.html.] Despite their desirable characteristics, the use of fuel cells in motor vehicle and transportation applications is hindered because convenient, safe and mobile sources of hydrogen having a size and operation characteristics appropriate for a vehicle (e.g., quick start up and shut down) or other mobile or predetermined output requirements are not available.
It is an object of the invention to provide an on demand ignition system for a cycle that produces hydrogen gas to feed an electric power producing fuel cell. It is a further object to provide an ignition system that is reliable, convenient, safe, and adaptable for fuel cell systems used in automotive, mobile, and other discrete low power requirement uses in which on demand start up is a requirement.
The prior art considers steam reformer hydrogen processor systems to be difficult to use with motor vehicles because, inter alia, the steam reforming process requires an extended time in a start mode before a continuous cycle can be initiated. See, xe2x80x9cFuel Cell Technology Automotive Engineer, September 2000, pages 78 et seq. Delays and difficulties in starting an automobile or other mobile power source negatively impact the acceptability of the technology because on demand use is a pre-condition for such applications. Hydrogen storage requirements have similarly hindered vehicular, mobile and other consumer uses of fuel cells.
It is an object of the invention to provide a start module for initiating a gas production cycle in a hydrogen generation system used with a fuel cell stack. In a preferred embodiment, it is an object to provide a device that enables a reliable and efficient quick start for a steam reforming process for powering hydrogen fuel cells in automotive, mobile and other on demand applications. In a fuel cell system, the invention provides an instantaneous burst of energy sufficient to initiate a hydrogen producing cycle, and reduces the volume and quantity requirements for hydrogen storage in the system.
In the invention, a small quantity of hydrogen gas from an external source is catalytically combusted to provide a heat source to vaporize liquid hydrocarbons and essentially instantaneously initiate the hydrogen producing process in a fuel cell system. Once initiated, a continuously balanced reaction cycle in the system converts a liquid hydrocarbon such as gasoline (a mixture of 50 or more hydrocarbons, modeled by the iso-octane C8H18 component) and water into a hydrogen (H2) enriched gas fuel for powering the fuel cell.
The invention is described more fully in the following description of the preferred embodiment considered in view of the drawings in which: